Birthday?
by Eyes like Dawn
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin forgets somthing rather...important pertaining to his Belle. Fluffy goodness with a touch of humor.


_A/N: Fluffy goodness mostly. I just need some fluff for the love of all Rum/Belle. Not much, but a little humor in as well. Enjoy!_

**~8~8~**

He was forgetting something, the Dark One knew as he rolled out of his plush king sized bed alone in the early dawn before the sun was barely a charcoal gray streak brightening the dim sky. The room was only vaguely lit by the ever leaden brightening firmament, but it was illuminant enough to view the simplicity of his bed room filled with antique furniture and one huge rectangular mirror once inhabited in the Dark Castle.

Alarm did not rear in his mind, though something tugged at his memory like a child yanking at a toy. Belle had already departed to the shop to open it while he made the rounds in collecting rent and breakfast before joining her. That was their normal day when the payments were due, but he felt as though something was not quite fitting into place.

It wasn't a heavy worried feeling that pressed him, like letting an important meeting with Emma Swann slip his tactile mind, or business discussion with another wretched soul searching for an easy way out of their turmoil's. No, it was merely a little niggling feeling that sat in the back of his mind whilst he showered, dressed in a sharp black suit, got ready for the day, and left out of his monolithic pink home.

Striding down the gray walk in his strong, but hobbled gait, his house locked and secure, he decided to let the thought go as he took off to grab breakfast for the both of them. Whatever it was, he was sure it wasn't of such terrible importance.

"Good morning, Ruby." Gold greeted with a small, amiable smile as he slid into the busy dinner. Limping to the bar he planted his hands on the clean counter standing in front of the dashing waitress rishing hither and thither with plates heaped with food and pots of jet black coffee. "You have our breakfast ready, I trust?"

The scarlet server nodded absently; much too busy tending the hungry customers than to be scowling at the ruthless businessman, who was her best friends mate. "On the counter." She jerked her head in the direction of a slightly crumpled brown paper baggie resting by the register as she poured a series of mugs full of steaming coffee.

"Much obliged." He murmured beneath his breath. Using the tip of his cane, Gold expertly swiped the bag into his owning grip whilst the other left the proper amount of cash plus a little extra per their agreement for Grannies staff to have their breakfast hot and prepared on rent days. Nestling it into the safety of his hands, he made a small respectfully incline of his head to the busy waitress and prepared to depart from the eyes glaring angrily at him and the loathed whispers.

In a spare moment while making a fresh pot of coffee, Ruby swiveled her head to the departing Mr. Gold and added breathlessly. "By the way say Happy Birthday to Belle for me."

The entire world stopped for the Dark One in that one moment. The loud diner, filled with the sounds of low tuned gossip whispered behind hands, people prattling away on phones, children crying, and clinking cutlery upon plates and mugs seemed to all fade away in some muted limbo.

An abjectly appalled paleness swoop over his weathered features. Sweat began to bead upon his brow in a panic. Belle's birthday! How in the name of heaven above had he forgotten such an important date! A woman who had not known his love for three months had recalled her birthday, and yet he had left it as only a small forgetful feeling, his vast mind could not fully recollect, to be discarded!

"Uh oh, I know that look." James remarked suddenly before taking a slurp of coffee.

Shaking his straggly dirty brown hair, the magical fiend turned to the husband of Snow White; his brown wrinkled in consternation.

The former king sat in a corner booth flooded with light, with another, King Thomas, on the other side of the leather seat. Both munched heartily on their breakfasts as they looked towards the Dark One with some form of pity.

Rum's eyes narrowed somewhat in confusion at the ominous statement. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh you will be." Thomas piped up in a dourly, perhaps even in sympathy for the Dark One. He toyed with a few scant pieces of left over hash brown scattered upon his plate with his fork sullenly at some memory. "I remember letting Cinderella's birthday slip my mind one year." He rubbed his shoulder as though an old twinge of pain struck him. "Let it be known glass slippers, while fragile, hurt like sin when they hit you."

James scoffed humorlessly and bit into half his cinnamon bagel with gusto. "That's nothing. When I found out I had missed Snow's birthday I left to slay a dragon in the farthest reaches of our kingdom. I came back, bloodied and bruised and battered hoping she would overlook my blunder since I had done our realms a great service and had escaped near death." He shook his head at his foolishness from long ago. "I slept on the stone floor of our bed chamber every day for a week. Her intense glare burned me fiercer than the dragon's breath ever did."

"You guys think you've got problems?" It was now Graham who spoke. Pulling up a chair, he frowned mournfully. "Emma's birthday was two months ago. Even though I didn't even know when her birthday was, somehow in her mind I should have magically have known it. To this day I am still picking up all the night shifts and brining her glazed bear claws to say I am sorry for something I didn't even know I did wrong."

Rumpelstiltskin sneered at the trio, disgusted and also worried by their tales of vengeful women angered at their birthday's misbegotten by their loves. He was the Dark One, why should he have to fear a woman, who in another world had called him master? "Pathetic, that's what you all are!" The Dark One snapped with a scornful grimace twisted upon his lips. "Look at you, men. You were all once kings, hunters, and warriors; men with power and prestige and you cringe at your woman throwing temper tantrums at a meaningless day. Whipped; the lot of you!"

A moment of slice fell upon them before Snow White's husband smiled thinly, his demeanor completely unperturbed. "You're scared out your mind, aren't you?" James examined, totally nonplused by the outburst of denial of the Dark One desperately trying to bolster himself up.

"Terrified." Rum commented dryly as he eased down into a chair Graham scuffed up for him. Never had he forgotten something so important. Every anniversary was marked in stone in his mind, he could recall everything about his true love and yet this one day had lain dormant in his mind until too late.

Though none particularly liked the magical monster, some form of manly camaraderie stirred in the men who had experienced the blazing wrath of a woman whose birthday had been missed by their true loves.

"Did she say anything unusual to you this morning, maybe dropping a hint or a show of annoyance?" Graham asked curiously, his hands expertly heisting the other half of James' bagel and munching into it sprinkling crumbs on his beard.

Gold shook his head. "Not at all. She whispered, 'see you at the shop' and got ready for work."

"Not a good sign." The husband of Snow White observed critically as he sagaciously stroked his clean shaven chin. "She could be plotting your demise right now for not forgoing work altogether and staying in bed." He nursed his coffee slowly, his eyes staring down in thought.

It was always tricky dealing with women who showed not a hint of anger. That, quite ironically, meant they were angrier than ever. The Dark One as far as they could discern was treading very tremulous ground indeed.

"Mr. Gold I thought you'd be halfway to your shop by now." Ruby strutted up, butting into the low mumbling conversation. Refilling James' mug, her lupine eyes glanced over curiously to the Dark One. "I bet Belle's so excited about her birthday with you. "

Rum slumped in his chair as though the weight of his blunder would drag him to the very core of the earth. "I bet she would be, if I remembered." He admitted with a grimace, his mind making another blunder as to whom he spoke – His Belle's best friend.

"You forgot her birthday!" The scarlet server exclaimed aghast, perhaps a trifle louder than need be. Placing her free hand on her hip she glared murder at the Dark One. "You son of a pig, how dare you forget my best friend's birthday! Her first birthday out of a five by five prison and you have the nerve to forget!"

Gold made a low calming motion to the enraged waitress, his eyes flashing out to battle any curious onlookers. "Look, settle down, it was an accident."

"Birthdays are extremely important to women. You don't know the utter depression we get knowing that we are aging at what you once thought young and beautiful will turn haggard and ugly." Ruby continued, her eyes blazing.

"I will never think that of my Belle!" The magical fiend shot up making the chrome chair fall over. Leaning over the table he snarled fiercely at the crimson server. "I may have forgotten, but that does not mean I do not care. I will think of something." On an afterthought he turned to the gentlemen finishing their respective breakfasts. "And a lot of help you guys were!"

"What help did you think we were going to be?" Thomas snorted derisively before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "It's not like we understand women any better than you. Don't forget they frighten us too."

With a repulsive scoff the Dark One forced himself not to curse at the trio and snatched up the now cold bag of food. Annoyance radiated from his form as he limped out doggedly to his doom. To the men, it was as though he strode out upon death row.

"A moment of silence for that poor soul." Thomas declared solemnly. Pulling down his checkered fedora, he paced it over his heart reverently.

Ruby only snorted irksomely as the three men tilted their heads down and wished the Dark One the best.

~8~8~

It wasn't enough, Gold admitted to himself in his mind grimly as he stood in front of his own shop terrified to go in like a knight would a dragon's cavernous lair.

The crumpled breakfast bag was now replaced with flowers he had ripped out of the ground in some ladies yard, for there had been no other option in the way of flora to present. Moe French declined to do any business with the man who had carted his only child off to slavery, meaning he didn't even have a proper rose to present her with.

No, he gazed down scornfully at the drooping white and pink petunias, they would not suffice. Growling angrily he tossed the flowers, roots and all, at the sidewalk with a violent force to vent his frustration.

It was no use to try to pull something out of the blue. The only fancy restaurant in town had long since barred him, for he often scared away customers when he deemed to dine there. No one would rent him a boat or even a skiff for a quiet night upon the waters, and even if he could have found someone, the weather called to be foul in the evening anyhow, meaning he could not even take her for a midnight stroll. Baking had been a complete disaster, even now, flour and egg yolk was drying upon his ceiling and every other possession in his kitchen. Trying to find a card at the local drug store turned to be a waste; nothing there was good enough for his Belle.

If karma was real, most assuredly it was kicking him left and right and on the most important of days.

A sigh wearily passed his thin lips as he shook his head despondently. There was nothing for it now, but to bite the bullet and face what may come barreling down upon him in the form of a woman's wrath like a man.

The clangorous jingle of the bell over top the front door made Rum flinch as he crept inside the establishment. Dust layered thick on every knick knack and trinket littered in his shop. Slowly, but surely, Belle was removing the years of grime away with every day she toiled, but the task was a hardy one to say the least.

"There you are." Belle popped up from behind a tall bookshelf scattered haphazardly with treasures from another world. Particles of dust were sprinkled upon her thick russet mane like new fallen snow. Her grin stretched from ear to ear as she stood up and swiped the dirt from her cloths causing huge plumes of filth to billow into the air. "It's about time you got here. I've been waiting forever you know." She coughed against the clouds of dust assailing her nostrils and throat.

The magical monster managed a small, weak smile and a false laugh as he slowly scooted over to a well sized cupboard. "Waiting for what, dare I ask?"

"For you to get here, silly man," laughed the beauty, her eyes twinkling happily at his strangeness. First he missed breakfast and now he was acting as though he had committed some horrid crime. Her brow knit in curiosity towards her love. "Rum…what are you doing behind that cupboard?"

Making certain he was safe from anything hand sized she could hurl in his direction, the Dark One took a steadying breath to steel himself. "Hiding because I am a coward." He admitted anxiously. "Belle, forgive me for my utterly moronic blunder, but I have…forgotten your birthday."

Covering his head with his hands, the devious sorcerer prepared to be bombarded with shrill shrieks and curses. At once he expected his targ of wood and bronze to be assaulted with plates and boxes and other curios lined about his shop.

Yet none came.

Opening his eyes a fraction after no missiles were hurled in his direction, the magical beast leaned his head from his hiding place like a rabbit peeping to see if the area was secure.

A warm, amused smile met his eyes. There was not a hint of wrath lined upon her porcelain face.

"You…you are not angry?" He queried warily, swallowing hard.

The blue eyed beauty let out a small giggle as she padded towards him. "No."

Gulping what felt akin to a boulder in the center of his throat he scuttled out of his impromptu hiding place. "Why?" Part of him knew it was foolish to ask, but there was curiosity and shame lingering inside him. Did she merely resign herself to believing he thought such things unimportant; that she was unimportant to him?

"Because I love you, and I don't care if you a date slips your mind every now and again." She was close now, her fingers coyly toying with the silver buttons on his shirt as though in one moment of passion she would grab the fibers of his dark silken shirt and rip it away. "Also, some men in town left this."

Turning away she slipped behind the cashiers counter and disappeared for a moment to resurface with a large white square box and a silk red bow on top with a yellow card leaning on the side. Flipping open the card, the lovely beauty read it with no small amount of jocular attitude.

"Dear Miss French, please don't be angry at your beast of a boyfriend. Yes he is the terror that looms over this town, and yes he did forget your birthday, but he is trying to change. We all see that every day and it is because of you. We don't want the extremely mean Mr. Gold back, please take it easy on him; we are begging you.

-James, Thomas, Graham, and of course Rumpelstiltskin"

His Belle attempted stifling a laugh but failed as she folded the card and placed it back upon the bow. "It was very noble of them to help you out like that."

"Yes." Gold concurred with a small smile. The grin dissipated from his face as she stood on the opposite side of the counter. "But still, forgive me for letting the day slip my mind. I shouldn't have those buffoons bailing me out." His gaze fell away from her ashamedly. "You shouldn't have spent your birthday cleaning and all alone for that matter. We should have been out and about. I should have been spoiling you in every possible way, lavishing you with diamonds and rubies and anything your heart desired. And now all we have is a cake betwixt us; one I didn't even obtain."

The beauty crinkled her nose happily, not saddened in the least. "I like cake thank you. And you know me better than that, Rum. I don't need special things." She mischievously pawed at his dark blue tie. "All I need is you."

"I fear I am a poor present." He quipped half-heartedly, his soul feeling as though the words were not all jest.

Belle tapped her chin thoughtfully, her lips twisted ponderously to the side, and her eyes scaned him mockingly as though putting him under inspection. "Hmm, you are indeed missing something." On a whim she ripped off the bow upon the box and placed it askance upon the top of his straggly brown tresses. "There, the perfect gift!" She laughed, pleased.

A large smile bloomed upon his weathered face at the gesture. Had anyone else done such they would be reeling from a blow sent from a gold tipped cane, but never his Belle. "Well, if you are done wrapping me, what say we get this cake home and dig in?"

"Of cou-" Belle got no further as thunder crashed about the sky.

In an instant, sheets of cold gray rain battered down upon the earth making it nearly impossible to see. They usually walked from home to the shop, meaning they'd have to wait till the rain stopped or at least slackened.

"Of all the blasted luck!" Rum seethed under his breath and slammed the end of his cane down upon the floor. He could not even go home to share cake with his Belle on her birthday!

The russet haired beauty merely chuckled and patted his hand curled tightly over the tip of his cane like a vultures talons. "It's okay." She soothed toward her irked mate raging at the weather.

Sliding down to the barely clean floor, she placed the cake down and patted the hard wood beside her. "We don't have to have cutlery or plates to eat."

Rum stared at her for a moment, his mind whirling in amazement at such a wonderful woman who chose to be his love. No other, he believed with a zealous fervor none could dissuade him from, would have ever been so patient, so understanding. With a small chuckle of his own he eased himself down to partake of the treat.

With a flick of the wrist Belle flipped open the top to reveal and rich chocolate cake and chocolate icing liberally coating the three tiered delight. Strawberries were spotted the entire circumference of the cake, sticking up like little mounds of red in a sea of black.

Ripping two hefty chunks off the layered treat, Belle handed one to Mr. Gold, who hadn't realized how famished he was from rushing all about towns for last minute plans. Just looking at the cake made driblets of drool form at the corner of his mouth.

Scents of chocolate and icing wafted through the air as the Dark One bit in voraciously; a wide grin upon his scraggly features. And so they sat in his dimly illuminated shop sharing a cake with their bare hands and listening to the rain douse the entirety of Storybrooke. With each hunk taken out they laughed and talked of old times, better times, before the fated kiss and his cowardice pulled them apart and crumbled their hearts.

After everything he wanted and planned to do, this seemed the best way to spend a rainy evening with his Belle on her birthday.

Swallowing another bit of cake, he suddenly pulled her close into his arms. The intimate gesture made the lovely young lady stop speaking for a brief moment so he could drink in the image of her and remember it for all and eternity. Dark icing spotted her nose in a small dollop right upon the tip, but her eyes, so bright, shone like twin pools of sapphire making her look regal and heart warningly endearing all in the same instance.

Despite having blundered her special day, it ended spectacularly, Gold thought satisfied she looked so content and gleeful. "Happy birthday, Belle-of-mine." Rum kissed the tip of her nose bringing back the taste of chocolate.

Belle giggled as she plucked off a strawberry and deposited it into his mouth. "Best birthday I have ever had." The lovely beauty replied truthfully.

In the warmth of his arms, knowing he was slowly but surely changing and seeing a future ahead, it was truly the most wondrous birthday ever to occur.

**~8~8~**

_A/N: I did not write this off as a One-shot yet, cause I have plot bunnies creeping up on me, armed with nets and baseball bats, to do a birthday in the Dark Castle. I might if they ambush me; what do you think? _


End file.
